Poem: Diana Adams

At the Inn

She shows me a room
with all kinds of scissors
hanging on the wall
what are they for, I ask
you figure it out
only use the red ones at night
she slams the door
& locks me in
I sit on the bed
a willing prisoner
after an hour being bored
I cut up a sheet, it felt nice
so I got out my diary
& cut out all the bad bits
lost cats, my fear of driving
the time I got caught
peeing in the parking lot
I felt peace & love for once
self-love

Diana Adams is an Edmonton, Alberta–based writer with work published in a variety of journals including Boston Review, Drunken Boat, Fogged Clarity, Oranges & Sardines, The Laurel Review, Ekleksogaphia. Her work has been included in several anthologies including the 2009 Rhysling Anthology. Her third book of poetry, Hello Ice, was published by BlazeVOX Books. Corrupt Press published her chapbook Catch. Diana has three poems in Best American Experimental Writing 2016.

What a beautiful story. Desiree has an otherworldly quality to her, a banished elf or displaced siren who developed a sharp tongue to protect her true nature in the human world. This, in combination with the very prosaic details of baby bricolage among the three of them, makes for a surreal story. It's quite wonderful. Great job.